V. I. Lenin

Two Years of Soviet Power

Written:5 November, 1919First Published:BednotaNo 478, November 7, 1919; Published according to theBednotatextSource:Lenin’sCollected Works, 4th English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1965, Volume 30, pages 124-126Translated:George HannaTranscription/HTML Markup:David Walters & Robert CymbalaCopyleft:V. I. Lenin Internet Archive (www.marx.org) 2002. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of theGNU Free Documentation License

The newspaperBednota45is read mostly by peasants.

      On this, the second, anniversary of the establishment of Soviet
      power, I wish to extend greetings to the many millions of
      working peasants who have been liberated from landowner and
      capitalist oppression and say a few words about that
      liberation.

Soviet power, which overthrew the rule of capital and placed
    power in the hands of the working people, has to contend in Russia
    with unparalleled and incredible difficulties.

The landowners and capitalists of Russia, now joined by the
    landowners and capitalists of the whole world, are still making
    frenzied attempts to destroy Soviet power. They fear the example
    it has set; they fear that it will win the sympathy and support of
    workers the world over.

Conspiracies within the country, the bribing of the
    Czechoslovak forces, the landing of foreign troops in Siberia,
    Archangel, the Caucasus, South Russia and near Petrograd, the
    hundreds of millions of rubles being spent to help Kolchak,
    Denikin, Yudenich and other tsarist generals—every
    conceivable method is being employed by the capitalists of all
    countries, who have accumulated millions and thousands of millions
    from war contracts, in an attempt to overthrow the Soviet
    government.

But all in vain. The Soviet government stands firm, overcoming
    all these unparalleled and incredible difficulties, despite the
    measureless suffering caused by war, blockade, famine, shortages,
    breakdown of the transport system and general economic
    dislocation.

Soviet power in Russia has already won the support of the
    ‘Workers of the whole world.There is not a single
    country where the people do not talk of Bolshevism and Soviet
    power.

The capitalists talk of it with hatred and rabid malice,
    slandering and vilifying it without end. But this malice gives
    them away, and the mass of workers are turning their backs on the
    old leaders and coming out in support of Soviet power.

Despite the crushing, painful burden imposed by the enemy
    assault on Russia, Soviet power has triumphed throughout the
    world—triumphed in the sense that everywhere the sympathy of
    the working people is already on our side.

The victory of Soviet power throughout the world is
    assured. It is only a question of time.

Why is Soviet power so firm and stable, despite the incredible
      ordeals, the terrible famine and the difficulties created by war
      and economic dislocation?

Because it is the power of the working people themselves, of
    the millions of workers and peasants.

The workers hold state power. The workers help the millions of
    labouring peasants.

The Soviet government has overthrown the landowners and
    capitalists and is steadfastly defending the people against
    attempts to restore their rule.

The Soviet government gives all the aid it is capable of to
    the labouring peasants, the poor and Middle peasants, who make up
    the vast majority.

The Soviet government holds a tight rein on the kulak, the
      village money-bag, the proprietor, the profiteer, on everyone
      who wants to get rich without having to work, everyone who
      battens on the misery and hunger of the people.

The Soviet governmentis forthe labouring people,againstthe profiteers, proprietors, capitalists and
    landowners.

That is the source of the strength, stability and invincibility
      of Soviet power throughout the world.

Tens and hundreds of millions of workers and peasants all over
      the world are suffering oppression, humiliation and plunder at the
      hands of landowners and capitalists. The old state apparatus,
      whether of a monarchy or a "democratic" 
      (pseudo-democratic) republic, helps the exploiters and oppresses the
      workers.

Tens and hundreds of millions of workers and peasants in all lands know
      this; they see it and experience it in their everyday life.

The imperialist war lasted over four years; tens of millions were killed and
      crippled. What for? For the division of the capitalists' spoils, for
      markets, profits, colonies and the power of the banks.

The Anglo-French imperialist predators defeated the German imperialist
      predators. With every passing day they are exposing themselves for what they
      are-robbers and plunderers, oppressors of the working folk who batten on the
      misery of the people and tyrannise weak nations.

That is why support for Soviet power is growing among the workers and
      peasants of the world.

The severe and arduous struggle against capital was victoriously begun in
      Russia. It is now spreading in all countries.

It will end in the victory of the World Soviet Republic.